I think this is a little gem of a book. When you're tired of just another story, this is the book for you, because it is definitely not jusLinda says:

I think this is a little gem of a book. When you're tired of just another story, this is the book for you, because it is definitely not just another story. Utterly unique and charming, I was quickly pulled into this quirky meeting of lost souls. And, in the most unlikely of places and in the most unlikely of ways, love manages to sweetly rear its hopeful head. You won't forget these characters or this weekend they spend together or they way it changes all of them, and you, just by having read it.

Joe says:

Wow. I feel as if I have just read one of the books of the year. Joyce Maynard's "Labor Day" is simply put: gorgeous. What, on the surface, seems like such a small story: a bleeding man approaches a boy in a discount store, and he & his Mom take him home for the long Labor Day weekend, becomes a stunning work on the nature of love and forgiveness. This book made me weep, I'm not ashamed to say. I wept from the beauty and simplicity and deep truths contained in its pages. Maynard's prose is perfect. An absolute must read!

Jackie says:I haven't read anything by Maynard before, but she's certainly on my list of authors to read more of now. This story, which I easily devoured in a lazy day at home, is touching on so many levels. Told through the eyes of a 13 year old boy, it's the story of five days when an escaped criminal comes to live with him and his mom, changing their lives forever. Henry feels responsible for his recluse mother, Adele, and spends all of his time with her. He's a bit of an outcast himself, being rather small for his age yet beginning the inevitable battle with his raging hormones. They meet Frank in one of their rare shopping excursions in town, and both immediately take to the bleeding man with the kind eyes. Frank does just enough "bad guy" stuff to help them pass a lie detector test should the need ever arise, but mostly he brings both of these broken people out of their shells and into remembering what being loved and being a family is like. This gentle story of love and hope is sure to be a hit....more

In polite conversation, the idea of dyeing nonviolent criminals bright colors and releasing them into society might not be met with raisedApril says:

In polite conversation, the idea of dyeing nonviolent criminals bright colors and releasing them into society might not be met with raised voices and ill-disguised disgust in one's political views. But this is the near-future America portrayed in "When She Woke" by Hilary Jordan. Because prisons are overflowing, it becomes acceptable to dye (to "chrome") the skin of those who committed nonviolent crimes and are not likely to repeat them again. America has swung so far to the right that a Secretary of Faith now sits on the President's Cabinet.

This is the life Hannah Payne has known: terrorist attacks, rabid religious conservatives, and chromed citizens. And the world is okay until she comes to find herself in a place where she is a Chrome, an outsider, a new level of second class citizen.

"When She Woke" is a haunting view of an American future not too hard to imagine. With strong characters and a convincing geography of the human soul, Jordan has created a solid representation of a new kind of Big Brother.

Cathy says:

"When She Woke" is a page turner. Just as Jordan so beautifully wrote about the injustice and tragedies of racism in America in her last novel, Mudbound, she now artfully exposes the injustices and heartbreak caused by religious extremism that, as she demonstrates in "When She Woke", can arise from any rigid doctrine, even in heartland America.

Jackie says:

I just finished reading this book, and I am amazed. It's topics are sooooo "right now":religious fundamentalism, women's rights, reproductive rights, the struggle to managecrime and the situation in prisons, the roll of technology in controlling people and theprivacy issues that go along with that. This book is going to create a STIR--I foresee protests and outrage countered by admiration and passionate defense of the sublime wayall of these volatile elements are joined to create a love story as well as a page-turning thriller. The continued exploration of what it means to be "good", and themany roles God can take in people's lives, is brilliant. A great deal of philosophy, theology and social science are included in this book, but it doesn't seem preachy or didactic. It seems like, and IS, an amazing book that is impossible to put down....more

I am soooooo in love with this book! Josh is an ex-drag queen and writer turned advertising maven, Brent is "Dr Brent" on The Martha StewaJackie says:

I am soooooo in love with this book! Josh is an ex-drag queen and writer turned advertising maven, Brent is "Dr Brent" on The Martha Stewart Show. They've been together for almost 10 years and seem to thrive on the big city lifestyle despite their 700 square foot apartment--until they take a wrong turn on a drive and discover The Beekman Mansion. It's HUGE, 200 years old and in need of a whole lot of work--but they want it. Dreams of leisurely weekends away from the city as gentlemen farmers dance merrily in their heads, so they take the plunge. Then Josh sneaks in a caretaker for the place that just happens to have a herd of goats. And, well, if they have goats now, they might as well have chickens. And a cow. And a garden. And then a bigger garden--MUCH bigger. Then a handmade Christmas project became a full on artisan soap company, and Beekman 1802 began--and grew...and grew...and grew. This is a wonderful tale of two Type A personalities taking on the bucolic life big city style, with some bonus ghosts and legions of zombie flies thrown into the mix. It's equal parts inspiring and exhausting, but you can't help but fall in love with these guys and the small town who has come to embrace them. The good news is they have a "docu-series" coming out in June 2010 on Discovery Channel's Planet Green called "The Fabulous Beekman Boys" so the laughs won't have to stop when the book cover closes.

A book that began slowly, with many characters whose stories got a little mixed up in my mind, but that at the end of the book, had emerged aJoe says:

A book that began slowly, with many characters whose stories got a little mixed up in my mind, but that at the end of the book, had emerged as distinct and heart-breaking characters, whose voices were, indeed, united. A World War II novel unlike any I have read, this book takes us into the streets of London during the Blitz, into the refugee trains filled with desperate Jewish people trying to leave Germany, and into a sleepy Massachusetts town just beginning to wake up to the realities of war. Sarah Blake's novel is one of unforgettable humanity that explores the nature of the meaning of existence.

Jackie says:

I've read a lot of books that have examined life in the early days of WWII, but never one like this. Blake's novel concentrates on 3 American women during 1940-41. One is an ambitious reporter fighting the glass ceiling of war reporting over in Europe who finally gets the opportunity of a lifetime that ends up completely changing her life. Another is a somewhat OCD postmaster (it's actually incorrect, according to her, to call her postmistress) working in a small town near Cape Cod who struggles with her need for rules and order and her need to love and connect with people. The third woman is a timid young doctor's wife who must find strength she doesn't think she has in circumstances she never planned for. Each of them personify attitudes that were taken about the war in those days before Pearl Harbor, each of them bring to light an aspect of 1940s womanhood, each of them is a complex character that is hard to forget. The opening quote, from Martha Gelhorn, is perfect: "War happens to people, one by one." This is what comes alive in this book and makes it resonate long after the last page is turned....more

We all know and love the classic tale, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I know that, time after time, I would lose myself in the story, faCathy says:

We all know and love the classic tale, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I know that, time after time, I would lose myself in the story, fascinated and frightened by the strange and unpredictable characters Alice encountered, wishing that I could be Alice and experience Wonderland. I went so far as to make myself an outfit and wear it to school (in high school, no less) still yearning for an escape. My taste in books had perhaps matured but the surrealism of Alice's story remained seductive.

Many years later whispers and comments about the real Alice (Alice Liddell) and the possibility of a less than "pure" interest in her and other little girls on the part of the author, Charles Dodson, an Oxford Don, found their way to my ears. Dodson's photographs of little girls became the subject of concern as awareness of child sexual abuse rose in our collective consciousness. But, frankly, I didn't want to delve too deeply into the possibility of such impropriety and ruin my childhood fantasies.

When the galley for Alice I Have Been was given to me with fanfare and enthusiasm by my publisher rep, I was admittedly nervous. Certainly, it's a novel, but how much did I want to know about the real story of Alice and Charles Dodson? Well, it turned out, everything! Beginning on page one when Alice is 80, heading to America to be feted and honored, Alice I Have Been takes the reader back to Victorian Oxford and brings to life the world that Alice inhabited. It was a privileged world, and as a little girl Alice and her sisters met scholars and royalty. They were pampered and educated and exposed to many things, yet restricted by society's (and their Mother's) high expectations for proper decorum. The girls were dressed alike in layer upon layer of pantaloons and petticoats and pale dresses and polished shoes, and if one girl got dirty (usually it was Alice) they all had to change. No small feat. So when offered the opportunity to dress like a ragged gypsy and roll around in the grass, barefoot, who wouldn't?

Little, irascible, contrary, bright 7-year-old Alice tasted this bit of freedom and it was as if she had bitten the apple in the Garden of Eden. Alice I Have Been is the story of the heartbreak of Alice's life, the result of a feisty, lively imaginative little girl's desire for love and a lonely man's unfortunate choices, all made far worse by the strictures of their times.

This novel is a gem. It's for all fans of Alice, of historical fiction, and of compelling biographical stories. And book clubs will rejoice in the possibilities it will offer for discussion. It is just wonderful!

Jackie says:

I'm not a Victorian England kind of person, nor am I a great fan of Alice in Wonderland or Through The Looking Glass. Nevertheless, this book, a fictionalized account of the "real" Alice, Alice Liddell, caught and held my attention in a vice grip. Benjamin's research was exhaustive, so that Alice, her sisters and the clearly disturbed Charles Dodgson (who took the pen name Lewis Carroll) become living and breathing people again. The actual photographs of Alice in the book are priceless and add a profound depth to the story--more than once I sat looking into Alice's 'gypsy' eyes and wondering what the truth was. The Liddell family in it's privileged splendor, the father's position of Dean of Christ Church making them very powerful in England, the great restrictions on and expectations of women, all set the scene for the destruction of one life by the tender age of 11. No one is completely innocent nor completely guilty in this tale that follows Alice through to her twilight years, but the taint of scandal colors the world for them all throughout their lives. It's rather haunting (especially the last few pages), and continues to linger in my mind. I highly recommend this book.

Lisa says:

This was a wonderful historical novel based on the life of Alice Liddell who inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice in Wonderland. Benjamin did an excellent job of telling a complex story of young Alice's relationship with Caroll aka Charles Dodgson - who was a young man at Oxford when they met. But is it more than that - it is about Alice's strength through a catastrophic time in her young life, followed by love and loss. It is about a girl becoming a woman - navigating Victorian England's strict moral attitudes with little help from those around her. It is told from Alice's point of view - which maked the book a strong and fascinating read. Great for discussion and book clubs....more

This book is the second book featured in Tattered Cover's new program of "Very Impressive Books" and has quickly become a staff and community favoriteThis book is the second book featured in Tattered Cover's new program of "Very Impressive Books" and has quickly become a staff and community favorite.

Cathy L says:

Cornelia Nixon's novel begins in 1869 as Martha Jane Cairnes murders Nicholas McComas infront of many witnesses in Jarrettsville, Maryland, a town just below the Mason-Dixon Line and a microcosm of America in the years following the Civil War. This tale of two lovers and why it ends so badly for them is the story of neighbor fighting neighbor, old customs and quarrels dying hard, passion, friendship, and the complicated relationships between whites and blacks, all told exquisitely.

***Please look for this great book at you local independent bookstore. A store finder can be found at www.indiebound.org.***...more

Telling his story in a graphic-novel style, the prize-winning children's author depicts a childhood from hell in this searing yet redemptCathy L says:

Telling his story in a graphic-novel style, the prize-winning children's author depicts a childhood from hell in this searing yet redemptive memoir.

Chuck says:

'Stitches' by David Small is a fantastic example of good literature in the graphic novel genre. This book is a graphic memoir centered around David's experience with cancer as a young man. What this book is really about is family, independence, and coming of age. This book does well at what is best about graphic novels. Visuals have a way of producingemotional responses in ways that words can't. The loneliness and frustration in this book are palpable. On an artistic note, there are some fantastic visual transitions. If you don't read graphic novels this would be a great introduction to them. If a picture is worth a thousand words 'Stitches' is a massive and powerful tome.

See great coverage of Tattered Cover's signing with David Small at tatteredcoverbookstore@blogspot.com

***Please look for this great book at an independent bookstore near you. There is a store finder at www.indiebound.org***...more

Inhabited by McDonnell's beloved "Mutts" characters, and with text by the author of "The Power of Now," this spiritual teacher's guide inspCathy says:

Inhabited by McDonnell's beloved "Mutts" characters, and with text by the author of "The Power of Now," this spiritual teacher's guide inspires readers of all stripes to recognize the lessons of the present moment, as embodied by the dogs and cats who share our world.

Jackie says:

Ordinarily I find Eckhart Tolle a bit over the top, but combined with Patrick McDonnell's sweet illustrations, this book won me over. It's a wonderful book for anyone who believes in the peace and joy that pets can bring into our lives....more

So I read "The Year of Living Biblically" by AJ Jacobs. He's the guy who wrote "The Know-It All" about reading the Encyclopedia Britannica. Thisgo-aroSo I read "The Year of Living Biblically" by AJ Jacobs. He's the guy who wrote "The Know-It All" about reading the Encyclopedia Britannica. Thisgo-around, he decides to live the Bible as literally as possible for oneyear. Yes, this is a little gimmicky. He obeys as many laws in the Bibleas he can. From the big ones like Thou Shalt Not Kill (pretty easy toavoid) to some of the more obscure laws like not shaking hands with anevil man (since he isn't sure who's evil and who isn't, he decides to quit shaking hands altogether). Along with just following the rules, he seeks advice and consultation with a number of Biblical scholars, teachers, rabbis, priests, evangelical preachers and sects.

The book was at times very funny, and at other times quite thought-provoking. In our internet-soaked and fast-paced society, stopping to say thanks (some may call it prayer, others simply thanksgiving) can have a profound effect.

I would recommend this book to people of all faiths (or lack of faiths).No matter you religious stance, it is hard to argue that the Bible is not an important book. This book didn't change my own beliefs, but it not only entertained me, it has made me think about some things I haven't in a while. And that's a pretty good thing.

I never would have looked twice at this book, had I not heard the author speak at MPIBA. Her speech, though it had nothing to do with the book, was imI never would have looked twice at this book, had I not heard the author speak at MPIBA. Her speech, though it had nothing to do with the book, was impressive enough (and I heard enough people saying they couldn't put the book down) that I had to give it a chance. If the following description doesn't sound like your normal cup of tea, just know that it isn't mine, either. And yet.

The story takes place in the American West at the beginning of the first World War, when the young men were just starting to be sent away from the farms. The main character is a woman who makes her living moving from town to town breaking horses. The back of the galley copy says that the book is about "a woman trying to make her way in a man's world," or something, but it isn't about that at all. It is about the simple strength and courage of the families and individuals living in that very particular place and time. The story is quiet and unassuming, no fireworks, just people trying to get by. It's like a less dramatic John Steinbeck. Sort of. (No offense to Steinbeck, whom I love.)

I know that doesn't sound very exciting, but, as I said, I was very much taken by surprise and felt compelled to read the entirety of this book that is completely outside of my normal reading habits. And that, I think, says a good deal for the story, the characters, and the author.

I'd say this book is more about learning about love than anything else. Summers stumbled into pet ownership while floundering as a single mother afterI'd say this book is more about learning about love than anything else. Summers stumbled into pet ownership while floundering as a single mother after both her husband and her father died a mere two weeks apart. George is not the typical dog, and life with him is far from easy. But struggling through grief, housebreaking and the arrival of adolescence of both boy and dog is both a heartbreaking and uplifting experience that Summers shares with utter candor. This is a very charming book that I wouldn't hesitiate to recommend, especially to folks who liked Marley and Me.

CSI and Thomas Harris lovers, Heartsick is for you. It's about a detective, the woman who kidnapped and tortured him, and life after her surrender andCSI and Thomas Harris lovers, Heartsick is for you. It's about a detective, the woman who kidnapped and tortured him, and life after her surrender and arrest. It's a complicated and twisted thriller that should pull in the Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell crowd nicely.

This is a forensic suspense/mystery/thriller that has more than a few twists and turns to it, even up to the bitter (or sweet,depending on how you looThis is a forensic suspense/mystery/thriller that has more than a few twists and turns to it, even up to the bitter (or sweet,depending on how you look at it) end. CSI, Reichs, Cornwell, etc fans will love it. I can't say I was at the EDGE of my seat, but I was way past the middle of it and turning pages fast....Premise: a forensic anthropologist gets called out to a remote British island to investigate a suspitious death. A storm, a fire and more than one body keep him there as he risks his life to figure out just who is killing who...and who will be next. Highly atmospheric.

This year I wanted to read a classic horror novel for Halloween. I picked Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. And I finished it last night, drinking tea whilThis year I wanted to read a classic horror novel for Halloween. I picked Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. And I finished it last night, drinking tea while the waning moon cast a yellow shadow on my chair...

I was surprised by this book. The language, while difficult in itsRomantic way, added to the gothic feel of the book. The language wasn'tsurprising. The story was. I didn't expect to feel such deep sympathy for the unnamed monster and such annoyance with Dr. Frankenstein. Sure, the monster wrecks murderous havoc on the lives of those whom Frankenstein loves, but his reasoning behind it is much more solid than any of Frankenstein's moaning. I loved the monster! And urge you all to either revisit or take a trip to Mary Shelley's Europe!

Joe said:"Now You See Him" is a nuanced, intelligent novel. The story is told from the point-of-view of Nick, a mTattered Cover staff LOVED this book!

Joe said:"Now You See Him" is a nuanced, intelligent novel. The story is told from the point-of-view of Nick, a man in his 30's whose marriage, and then everything on which he's based his life, falls apart. Nick's best friend from high school, Rob Castor, a famous writer, has killed his girlfriend and then committed suicide. These events profoundly affect Nick, and send him on completely new road in life. Richly written, this thrilling novel reveals its twists and revelations to gloriously delve into the nature of truth, of friendship, marriage, and our own perceptions of ourselves. What is it that may drive us to do things we've never dreamed of?

I loved reading every page of this novel; and feel, days after finishing it, as if a shot just rang out with the whole story reverberating in my ears."

Jackie said:"This is a haunting story of how the people in our lives helpto form us and our perceptions of the world. It's about love in just about every form and what we'll do for it. The story itself is mesmerizing--the fact that it is so beautifully written makes it unforgettable.

Christine said:"Add me for a fourth! A riveting read!"

Molly M said:"Include me in on this one. I could not put it down. The writing is like flowing silk, smooth and captivating. I'd be in for a book club chat -it's the kind of book that, after finishing it, I wanted to talk to someone about it."

This is a delightful bit of Southern Christmas magic that no one should miss. Theodora is the elderly matriarch of a very messed up family. This ChrisThis is a delightful bit of Southern Christmas magic that no one should miss. Theodora is the elderly matriarch of a very messed up family. This Christmas she's finally gotten them all together to celebrate, and all she really wants is a glorious, homespun holiday like when she was a girl. Enter Pearl--the now angel of her beloved childhood friend/nanny/housekeeper. Sassy, fun, and not above a dirty trick or two, these two ladies teach this disjointed family about what it means to love and respect both themselves and each other. I laughed a good deal reading this, and covet a Pearl of my own. There's bonus old Southern holiday recipes included in the book as well--yum!

Fans of Fielding, Bushnell and Lippman will love this book. It's very much in the Bridget Jones formula: 20something woman continues to make a disasteFans of Fielding, Bushnell and Lippman will love this book. It's very much in the Bridget Jones formula: 20something woman continues to make a disaster of her life with bad choices, vows to change, struggles with it and nearly misses true love when it crosses her path (or, in this case, literally mows her down). I would call it a comfort read for chic lit fans.

So there is this thing on the internets, maybe you have heard of it. If not, there is probably a good chance you will. I hear it is going to be big.

IfSo there is this thing on the internets, maybe you have heard of it. If not, there is probably a good chance you will. I hear it is going to be big.

If you're not already aware of it, Second Life is an online... Well, it's a little hard to qualify. It looks like a game, in that it has 3D graphics, but there aren't really game-like goals to achieve. It's a little like a chat room, in that you can meet and interact with many other users around the world, but there's much more to it than conversation. It is, for lack of a better term, a virtual world, complete with its own geography, population, and economy. Apart from the ground itself, everything in it was created by users, using the provided software tools, including buildings, vehicles, furniture, clothing, and even character animations. With an active user base of over 600,000 members ("residents," in the parlance of SL) and growing, this frenzy of user-created content has birthed an economy with a gross "national" product greater than that of, if I am not misquoting the book here, Belgium. Real-world companies have taken notice, with such institutions as IBM, Pontiac, and Playboy having set up virtual headquarters. SL also plays host to real-world events, broadcast live through virtual venues - concerts, university lectures, even a presidential candidate's campaign speech. Wild.

Truth be told, I heard about Second Life a few years ago, but never really gave it a Second Thought (heh) until I picked up this book. The author, Wagner James Au, was retained by SL's creators early on in its existence to document its development, and while his coverage of this virtual world-building is at times less than objective, he really paints an interesting picture. As he describes it, and it really does make sense when you think about it, such a user-generated virtual world is just an extension of the participation culture of so-called "Web 2.0" sites like MySpace and YouTube. I don't know if this particular application is destined to be the future of the internet, but at least it seems to be an important step in the development of global information sharing. Not so much a story of the development of a piece of software as a story of the development of a community, I wouldn't call this book a must-read, but anyone with an interest in the internet's burgeoning participation culture (or "Read-Write Culture," as Lawrence Lessig calls it) might find it a ascinating insight into where it's headed.

What a rare experience to be pulled so quietly yet so deeply and completely into a novel! This is a fine, richly textured story of oneman's life thatWhat a rare experience to be pulled so quietly yet so deeply and completely into a novel! This is a fine, richly textured story of oneman's life that speaks to the humanity in all of us.

The main character, Trond Sander, looks back on his 67 years from theclear, cold solitude of his cabin in Norway. Through him we feel not only the wisdom and relative peace that his years have earned him, but also the hopes and confusions of his youth, and his somewhat mysteriousrelationship with his spirited and powerful father.

The telling of both stories tantalizingly unfolds before us and we arethere with him, both at the beginning and toward the end of his life,wanting, as each page turns, to hear more and more from this talentedauthor.

This book has soared to the top of my recommends. A great suggestionfor both men and women.

-Linda M

Marti said:

I loved this book. Norwegian author Per Petterson is a former librarian and bookseller and he sure knows how to weave a good tale....more

Josh joins the Peace Corps in the early '90's and recounts his story very matter of factly, frustrated with how much he can't get done. He loves the vJosh joins the Peace Corps in the early '90's and recounts his story very matter of factly, frustrated with how much he can't get done. He loves the village and the people. Angers some locals to the level of a mob. He is profoundly deaf, too.

This is considered a "teen historical fantasy" novel, the first in a new series called Hallowmere. I have to say it hooked me pretty hard. Set in receThis is considered a "teen historical fantasy" novel, the first in a new series called Hallowmere. I have to say it hooked me pretty hard. Set in recent post civil war times, it concerns orphan Corrine who is sent to live at a rather strange girls reform school by a seemingly uncaring and harsh uncle. The school is as grim as you might imagine, with a cold headmistress and an extremely unusual population with a whole lot of secrets. Like girls that have gone missing (who may have been sacrifices of some sort), strange, nearly vampiric Fey living in the bushes just outside the gates, voodoo dolls and strange rites in the middle of the night. It's creepy, engrossing, and very well written. The second book in the series, By Venom's Sweet Sting, comes out in December. Book 3, Between Golden Jaws, is scheduled for April of 2008.

This Young Adult novel is quite good. Hannah Baker has committed suicide, and left behind a box of seven tapes in which she explains what (actually, wThis Young Adult novel is quite good. Hannah Baker has committed suicide, and left behind a box of seven tapes in which she explains what (actually, who) drove her to her death. Once each person on her list listens to the tapes, they are to pass them on anonymously to the next person. Creepy premise, great execution. Jay Asher does a great job capturing the frustration, angst and joys of teendom. Nothing is minor, everything matters.

Also, Jay Asher is a lifelong bookseller. Not for the TC, but for manydifferent bookstores, independent, chain and used.

Last Night at the Lobster tells the story of the impending closure of aRed Lobster on a harsh, snowy night in Massachusetts. Manny DeLeon, thebeleagueLast Night at the Lobster tells the story of the impending closure of aRed Lobster on a harsh, snowy night in Massachusetts. Manny DeLeon, thebeleaguered manager, will hereafter be demoted to assistant manager at adistant Olive Garden. This character may be compared to St. Jude, thepatron saint of lost causes or Charlie Brown, ever hopeful on thepitcher's mound despite being down by 10 runs. On this last night there is no incentive for Manny or his employees to do anything other than pick up their final checks and run -- which many of them do. But a solid core remains, determined to finish it out, successfully feeding their customers as they would on any other night. Or maybe it's more than that. They stay for Manny.

This is a great book for Laurel Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris and Janet Evanovich fans--it's got camp, it's got some steamy sex, it's got qThis is a great book for Laurel Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris and Janet Evanovich fans--it's got camp, it's got some steamy sex, it's got quirky characters and it's got a bit of a mystery to it. Honestly, how can you NOT love a succubus who is a millenia old and the assistant manager of a bookstore? There's rock and roll, there's drugs, there's people trying to return books without receipts. There's vampires, there's (jaded) angels--need I say more?

Hyde, who wrote Pay It Forward among other things, has a very interesting voice. Chasing Windmills is a sort of modern, realistic fairy tale where hapHyde, who wrote Pay It Forward among other things, has a very interesting voice. Chasing Windmills is a sort of modern, realistic fairy tale where happily ever after isn't exactly what you think it's going to be, but it's satisfying nonetheless.

Sebastian, isolated teenager aching for the outside world, and Maria, atwentysomething mother of 2 and an abused wife meet late one night on a subway train. Chemistry? Destiny? Something clicks between these two and they begin a strange, illicit affair of sorts while carefully maintaining the day-to-day lies that their "real" lives have become. Then a stray comment from a kindly neighbor of Sebastian's leads to some startling revelations that upheave and forever change the lives of these somewhat starcrossed lovers (there is much allusion to West Side Story in the book). Well worth the read.

This is teen targeted fiction published by Bloomsbury Children's Books, but the premise is so completely fascinating that I'd literally recommend thisThis is teen targeted fiction published by Bloomsbury Children's Books, but the premise is so completely fascinating that I'd literally recommend this book to the 12 to 102 crowd with no reservations. It's the year 2140 and the fountain of youth has come to the world by way of Longevity, a drug that literally lets people live forever. But it's caused a problem--if everyone lives forever, the planet is going to fill up--FAST. The solution is to ban anyone on Longevity from having children, and banning all other medications so that folks NOT onLongevity die fairly quickly. Of course, rules get broken and illegal children get born--they are the Surpluses. They are cruelly rounded up and, if "trainable", put into institutions to learn service trades in order to atone for their existence. The others are destroyed. Society has become static--no new people means no new ideas. There is not youthful enthusiasm--Surpluses are taught to be fearful automatons. But of course there is a rebel faction trying to rescue the children and keep the "old ways" of freedom and variety alive. This book is extremely well thought out, and I found it equally terrifying and fascinating. The issues brought up in this book haunt me still--this would make an AMAZING book club selection because you just HAVE to talk about it--theissues are too big and too exciting/chilling to keep to yourself.

The title of this one pretty much sums it up: it's an argument for thepossibility of spirituality without the involvement of a god. And it'slittle.

I aThe title of this one pretty much sums it up: it's an argument for thepossibility of spirituality without the involvement of a god. And it'slittle.

I appreciated this book largely due to the ways in which it differs frommuch of the recent atheist literature out there. The author's intentionwas to present and argue for a position, rather than merely to attacksomeone else's. He is well acquainted with the history and philosophy ofreligion, Eastern and Western, and therefore less often ends up soundingnaive or confused. He is genuinely sympathetic to the religious impulse,despite his disagreements with, and dismay at, many of its manifestations.

He comes across as a normal person, who has felt a longing most of us have felt, who has thought a lot about these things, and who would like to present his conclusions. Those conclusions aren't exactly startling,especially to anyone who's read anything on Taoism or Zen Buddhism, butthey are sincere. It is this sincerity, more than anything else, thatmakes Andre Comte-Sponville's book worth reading.

After Dark is a book that explores a single night in Tokyo, Japan. From midnight at Denny's to the break of dawn we enter the lives of Mari, a 19 yearAfter Dark is a book that explores a single night in Tokyo, Japan. From midnight at Denny's to the break of dawn we enter the lives of Mari, a 19 year old student, and Takahashi, a young jazz musician who remembers Mari from an incident in the past, though she has little recollection of him.

In Mari, Murakami has created a contradictory character: A girl who looks like a boy, a Japanese more comfortable with Chinese, a good girl with a dark curiosity. Mari roams Tokyo after hours while her sister, Eri, suffers from a strange sleeping sickness that leaves her virtually comotose. They are as opposite and distant as two sisters can be.

Mari and Takahashi's night is filled with unexpected encounters withstrangers, intimate yet cautious conversations, hints of danger andexcitement. My thoughts while reading this book turned to the paintings of Edward Hopper, and pages later Murakami makes a direct reference to just that artist. You are in Hopper's dream, Tokyo instead of New York, with the shadows, the lonliness, the slowness of the night.

How do you get two sisters, one awake/one asleep, as distant as twosisters can be, together again? Sometimes answers reveal themselves very late at night, a long time after dark.

Looking for a good book for your young teen? Perhaps the title Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack! wouldn't endear itself to you. I could feel mysJocelyn says:

Looking for a good book for your young teen? Perhaps the title Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack! wouldn't endear itself to you. I could feel myself mentally shrinking away from this book even as I shelved it. Last week there was a big discussion over where to shelve it-(was this really a book for older kids or did it belong in the more world-savvy young adult section???) and it turned out neither of us had actually read it. We had both judged it purely on it's title. So- you guessed it- I lost the coin toss and took it home to read. I loved it. Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack is NOT focused on drug addicts and drugs. It is a story about somewhat shy,sometimes awkward so-called priviledged urban teens who have the same insecurities most teens have. This book shows how strangers can evolve into friends and how some seemingly insurmountable problems can be solved- though no one said it would be easy. Characters grow and the feeling I got at the end was realistic and optimistic- an unbeatable combo in my book. Two thumbs up for Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack! by M.E. Kerr (though I still hate the title, it now makes sense)

An engaging sequel to 'Chocolat'. Vianne Rocher in Paris--with a new identity--determined to escape her past and protect her two daughters. Enter theAn engaging sequel to 'Chocolat'. Vianne Rocher in Paris--with a new identity--determined to escape her past and protect her two daughters. Enter the enigmatic, ruthless Zozie de l'Alba and everything changes. Good vs Evil.